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July 9, 2018

Interview with Illustrator Steve Brown

I am pleased to introduce illustrator Steve Brown! He is a freelance children's illustrator from the Romney Marsh in Kent, England and has been drawing for as long as he can remember. His animation style is heavily influenced by the cartoons of the 70's, 80's, and 90's which he considers "the best". Steve is most often in his home studio scribbling away on his Wacom Cintiq, located at the bottom of his garden that overlooks fields and trees. His passion is for character design and story telling through illustration. Steve "likes to use humor" in his illustrations to "make it more fun for children and adults." Secretly, he sneaks in lots of subtle details that take a careful eye to spot. Follow Steve's incredible art on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and at his website, Steve Brown Illustration.

July 2, 2018

10 Best Picture Books for Boys

These 10 picture books are the best for young boys. Having two young boys myself, I can assure you these will create giggles and laughs time after time. I have personally read these books on numerous occasions! Whether you're looking for a cuddly bed time reading or a perfect gift for someone else, consider these 10 wonderful titles.

June 29, 2018

What Writing Can Actually Do for Your Thinking and Life

Do you know what writing can do for you? You may not fully understand why writing matters, how writing helps, or how writing can be so important. Prepare to have your mind blown! Here are 5 reasons why you must develop your writing skills if you ever hope to be remembered as a success on this planet.

June 27, 2018

How to Create Major Characters from Scratch

Curious how authors create incredible leading characters from out of nowhere? Well, be curious no more! After reading these techniques, you will be able to create brilliantly believable characters your readers and listeners will love. In fact, you will want to re-visit some of your old characters and give them a new paint job. Leave the boring, one-dimensional characters to your competition.

Write Without Being Preachy

June 26, 2018

Write Picture Books Without Being Preachy

Teaching through stories has been around since the dawn of communication. Although when that dawn occurred is hotly contested, what isn't contested is that stories are excellent methods to communicate a message. They are so excellent, in fact, writers often abuse them by being too preachy. What this really means is that the lesson or purpose in a story, especially in children's books and even more so if it's a picture book, should be subtle. Does this come natural to you? Probably not. But it can, if you implement these 5 techniques.

June 25, 2018

You Can Learn How to Communicate More Effectively

You and I fight for many things. Life. Love. Liberty. Happiness. Leftover pizza. At the heart of it all, is communication. And not just any communication. Effective communication. Do you understand the power of words? Do you fully grasp the importance of communicating your thoughts effectively? Take a walk with me for just a few minutes and find how you can become a master of communicating effectively.

February 13, 2018

Lessons from Debbie Dadey: 166 Children’s Books, 42 Million Copies Sold

Debbie Dadey is one of the most successful children's authors of the modern era. Best known as the co-creator of The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series, she has published more than 160 traditionally published books and sold over 42 million copies worldwide. A former teacher and librarian, Debbie has spent decades helping young readers discover a love of books. In this interview, we discuss writing perseverance, traditional publishing, critique groups, finding time to write, working with co-authors, mentoring aspiring writers, and what it takes to build a long-term career in children's publishing. Although this conversation took place in 2018, the lessons about creativity, persistence, and professional growth remain just as relevant today.

January 1, 2018

How to Query Literary Agents: Examples, Templates & Mistakes to Avoid

Querying a literary agent is the process of pitching your manuscript to agents in hopes of securing representation. In this guide, you’ll learn how to write a query letter, what agents actually want, common mistakes to avoid, query letter examples, and how to track submissions professionally. Whether you’re querying fiction, nonfiction, or children’s books, this guide walks you through the entire process step-by-step.